Electronic tags have a wide variety of uses, including the tracking of items which contain the tag, inventory control, security, and the provision for electronically readable information. These electronic tags may take various forms. For example, the tags may include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags. Whether for identification, security or other purposes, the tags are typically one of two types, either a dual resonator (DR) tag or a radio frequency (RF) tag.
Tags of this type are typically enclosed or supported in a variety of different devices such as holders, housings and the like, which provide for the secure accommodation of the tag and also may be securely attached to the article to prevent unauthorized removal therefrom. These tags remain with the article after purchase, are removed from article at the time of purchase or may be removed by the consumer after purchase.
With respect to certain articles, such as bottles for containing beverages or other liquids, various housings have been developed to secure the tag to the extending neck of the bottle itself. Such bottle neck tag housings of this type are shown and described in commonly-assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/769,917, entitled “Single Component Tag Housing Assembly For Removable Attachment to a Bottle Neck,” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/769,926, entitled “Dual Component Tag Housing Assembly For Removable Attachment to a Bottle Neck,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/819,012, entitled “One-Piece Tag Housing Assembly For Non-Removable Attachment to a Bottle Neck,” the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
As is common with bottle neck tag housings disclosed in the above-incorporated applications, the tag housing is typically secured to the bottle by passing it over the bottle neck through an aperture in the housing. The housings shown include flexible fingers which engage a perimetrical undercut on the bottle neck. These flexible fingers engage the bottle neck at the undercut to secure the tag housing to the bottle.
As noted above, after purchase, the consumer may leave the tag housing on the bottle as the bottle may be used unencumbered by the tag housing. However, for aesthetic purposes, the consumer may desire to remove the tag housing before use. In situations where the tag housing is not removed at the point of purchase, it is up to the consumer to remove the tag housing from the bottle. Such removal is difficult as the tag housing by its nature is securely attached to the bottle neck to prevent unauthorized removal.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a tag housing which may be easily removed from a bottle neck by the consumer after purchase.